Sansa Clip + and 8GB MicroSD Not Working

one more thing to try is to download the microsd card formatting software from the SD Card website…

http://www.sdcard.org/consumers/formatter/

I was led to believe that it will do a better job of formatting than formatting it using Windows.

Thank you everyone for the help. I will use a different card to test out.

I’ve also tried the official SD card formatting tool, to no avail.

Thanks anyway for the helpful suggestions.

Josh,

Same problem here.  Just bought four 2GB “DaneElec” cards from CircuitCity.  The work just fine in the card reader, and the SD formatting tool is fine with them too, but the Clip+ is totally unpredicatable with them.  More specifically:

  1. The first card I loaded with a series of language-learning MP3s.  Just dumped them into the root directory, and that card seems to work okay.

  2. The second card I did the same thing, but with files from my music library, also all MP3s.  It detects but just comes up as “[Empty]” when I do the folder view.  Every time I put in the card when it’s not happy, the “refreshing media” goes by much too quickly.

  3. I deleted most of the files (in the external reader) and suddenly it was able to see them, briefly.  The trick seemed to be that it only saw files with 8 character or less (FAT w/o LFN support?)

  4. I tried to continue the process putting back only files which matched that convention, but the next time it wouldn’t read.  Again, 5 seconds or less in “refreshing media” and “[Empty]” under folders.

  5. I can’t transfer files to the card using either WinAmp or WMP reliably – in both cases it transfers a few files and then reports errors.

  6. If I load the card back into the external reader after the WinAmp/WMP transfers, I can see the files that got transferred, plus (sometimes) a bunch of other gibberish files.

Don’t know if any of this is helpful, but I thought it would at least warn people away from these particular SD cards, and possibly give enough information for a techie to diagnose the problem.  I personally feel that it is a Clip+ problem, because I was able to copy all the media files back off the card in the external reader before reformatting.  So the card is Windows (XP) compatible, but not SanDisk compatible.

Make sure to never insert or remove a card when the player is on. Don’t put all the files in the root. Use subfolders, but also don’t use a high level of nesting either. I suggest setting the usb mode on the player to msc. Turn off the player and insert the card. Make sure it clicks into place. Connect the player. Copy and paste folders of files to the music, podcasts, or audiobooks folder on the player.

I also feel that this is a problem specific to the Clip+.  I had a very similar problem with my 8GB Clip+ reading content I put on a 2GB genuine Sandisk microSD card.  Every other device in my home can read the content on that card but not the Clip+.  After almost four hours with on-line chat support, I received an RMA to return my 8GB Clip+.  The replacement arrived today.  I am very thankful that they sent me a new one and not a refurbished one.  It is currently charging right now.

Anyways, after I sent my 8GB Clip+ off for warranty.  My neice and nephew each got a 4GB Clip+ for there birthday (twins) last weekend.  Both of their 4GB Clip+ players could read and play the content on the exact same genuine Sandisk 2GB microSD card that my previous 8GB Clip+ could not read.  This is absolute proof that my 8GB Clip+ was defective.

I recommend getting a 2GB genuine Sandisk microSD card (they are dirt cheap and readily available) and try that.  If it doesn’t work, take your Clip+ back to where you bought it and get another one.  I made the mistake of waiting two days too long before testing this feature, so I had to go the warranty route.  Anyways, I now know that at least some of these players (maybe most) actually can read microSD cards, but it is a obvious that not all of them can - even though all of them should.

I will be testing my replacement 8GB Clip+ as soon as it is charged up.

I just realized I don’t have to wait for it to charge up to test it.  I can test it while it is plugged into the charger.  The replacement 8GB Clip+ works!   It can read the exact sam card that my original 8GB Clip+ could not read.

@tracyohus wrote:

I just realized I don’t have to wait for it to charge up to test it.  I can test it while it is plugged into the charger.  The replacement 8GB Clip+ works!   It can read the exact sam card that my original 8GB Clip+ could not read.

Probably shouldn’t be making a habit of inserting a memory card while the player is powered on, as it is when charging.

Unless you’re looking forward to exchanging it again because you shorted either the player or the card out. :wink:

@tapeworm wrote:


@tracyohus wrote:

I just realized I don’t have to wait for it to charge up to test it.  I can test it while it is plugged into the charger.  The replacement 8GB Clip+ works!   It can read the exact sam card that my original 8GB Clip+ could not read.


Probably shouldn’t be making a habit of inserting a memory card while the player is powered on, as it is when charging.

 

Unless you’re looking forward to exchanging it again because you shorted either the player or the card out. :wink:

Two things…  One, you can turn the player off while it is plugged into the charger.  Two, none of these three players I have available to check will recognize a card if you turn the player off before putting the card in.  They just stall when you do that.  Since all three of these brand new players do that - and do so with a genuine Sandisk card, this is a common characteristic of the player…  All three of these Clip+ players I have available to check will only recognise a card if you insert the card while the player is on.  My previous 8GB Clip+ would not recognise content on a card at all - no matter what…  Anyways, if you bother to watch the info videos from Sandisk, they clearly show cards being inserted into the player - and removed from the player - while the player ON.

@tracyohus wrote:

 none of these three players I have available to check will recognize a card if you turn the player off before putting the card in.  They just stall when you do that.  Since all three of these brand new players do that - and do so with a genuine Sandisk card, this is a common characteristic of the player…  All three of these Clip+ players I have available to check will only recognise a card if you insert the card while the player is on.

 


 

 

Perhaps you should get another card since they’re so cheap nowadays.  Then you’ll see that the clip+ does recognize a card that’s inserted when it’s off.  I have a few Sandisk cards and they all are recognized when inserted with the player off.

@mags1230 wrote:


@tracyohus wrote:

 none of these three players I have available to check will recognize a card if you turn the player off before putting the card in.  They just stall when you do that.  Since all three of these brand new players do that - and do so with a genuine Sandisk card, this is a common characteristic of the player…  All three of these Clip+ players I have available to check will only recognise a card if you insert the card while the player is on.

 


 

 

Perhaps you should get another card since they’re so cheap nowadays.  Then you’ll see that the clip+ does recognize a card that’s inserted when it’s off.  I have a few Sandisk cards and they all are recognized when inserted with the player off.

 

I have already done that - with multiple brand new genuine Sandisk cards on all three of these brand new players.  The Clip+ simply does not work the way you are describing.  Absolutely not.  The Clip+ does not start up properly when a card is inserted while the player off.  It will stall each and every time - with each and every card on all three of these brand new players.  All three work perfectly when cards are instered after the player is turned on…  Again, I refer you to the Sandisk info videos which clearly show cards being inserted into the player while the player is ON.

@tracyohus wrote:  

The Clip+ simply does not work the way you are describing.  Absolutely not.  The Clip+ does not start up properly when a card is inserted while the player off.  It will stall each and every time - with each and every card on all three of these brand new players. 

Funny, mine does (and always has). I have never experienced a ‘stall’ as you describe. And if what you say is true, I’m sure we would have heard from many more people before you complaining of the same thing. To date, I believe you are the only one.

@tapeworm wrote:

 


@tracyohus wrote:  

The Clip+ simply does not work the way you are describing.  Absolutely not.  The Clip+ does not start up properly when a card is inserted while the player off.  It will stall each and every time - with each and every card on all three of these brand new players. 


Funny, mine does (and always has). I have never experienced a ‘stall’ as you describe. And if what you say is true, I’m sure we would have heard from many more people before you complaining of the same thing. To date, I believe you are the only one.

 

I have to agree with Tapeworm here…my Clip+'s and Fuzes have always worked properly when I’ve inserted the cards with the players turned off. And I’ve seen the players freeze up when the card is inserted/removed with the player turned on.

You know what?  Whatever…

When I do it the way Sandisk demostrates how to do it, it works.  When I try to do it the way you folks claim it works, it does not work…  Now you folks want to get nasty about it - so I’m done with you.  Your “help” is worthless.

@tracyohus wrote:

You know what?  Whatever…

 

When I do it the way Sandisk demostrates how to do it, it works.  When I try to do it the way you folks claim it works, it does not work…  Now you folks want to get nasty about it - so I’m done with you.  Your “help” is worthless.

No one is getting nasty about anything…we’re telling you how the players have always worked for us. If you choose not to believe more experienced users, then all I can do is wish you luck:wink:

@marvin_martian wrote:

 


@tracyohus wrote:

You know what?  Whatever…

 

When I do it the way Sandisk demostrates how to do it, it works.  When I try to do it the way you folks claim it works, it does not work…  Now you folks want to get nasty about it - so I’m done with you.  Your “help” is worthless.


No one is getting nasty about anything…we’re telling you how the players have always worked for us. If you choose not to believe more experienced users, then all I can do is wish you luck:wink:

 

I am a stubborn redhead.  I am stubborn enough to run out to Best Buy and buy another player and a couple more cards just to find out if a forth player might work the way you are telling people is works…  As guess what?  It DOES NOT work the way you describe.  It  DOES  work exactly the way Sandisk demostrated in the info video.  Now thats four brand new players, multiple brand new geniune Sandisk cards and multiple host PC’s…  The evidence is heavily stacked against what you are saying.

@tracyohus wrote:


@marvin_martian wrote:

 


@tracyohus wrote:

You know what?  Whatever…

 

When I do it the way Sandisk demostrates how to do it, it works.  When I try to do it the way you folks claim it works, it does not work…  Now you folks want to get nasty about it - so I’m done with you.  Your “help” is worthless.


No one is getting nasty about anything…we’re telling you how the players have always worked for us. If you choose not to believe more experienced users, then all I can do is wish you luck:wink:

 


I am a stubborn redhead.  I am stubborn enough to run out to Best Buy and buy another player and a couple more cards just to find out if a forth player might work the way you are telling people is works…  As guess what?  It DOES NOT work the way you describe.  It  DOES  work exactly the way Sandisk demostrated in the info video.  Now thats four brand new players, multiple brand new geniune Sandisk cards and multiple host PC’s…  The evidence is heavily stacked against what you are saying.

I don’t know what to tell you. I have 2 Clip+ and 2 Fuze…one of each has a 16GB SanDisk card in it. I just took the card from the one Clip+ and put it into the other, and did the same with the 2 Fuzes…and in both cases I got the “Refreshing your media” screen as they read the card, after which they worked perfectly fine.

I can’t help but be mystified by what you are experiencing…anyways, I’ve never even seen these SanDisk videos which you have talked about, so I guess I will look for them myself now, out of curiosity.

Update: I don’t know where those videos are, and I didn’t find them…

@tracyohus wrote:

Now thats four brand new players, multiple brand new geniune Sandisk cards and multiple host PC’s… The evidence is heavily stacked against what you are saying.

Let’s see… Marvin has 4 sansas and at least 2 cards, I have 2 sansas and 3 cards, and Tapeworm has at least one sansa and one card…that’s a minimum of  7 sansas and 5 cards…so the weight of the evidence is not on your side.  :wink:

I’m not saying that the card will not be recognized when inserted with the player on, but many have recommended against it since “hot-swapping” may eventually cause damage or errors.

@mags1230 wrote:


@tracyohus wrote:

Now thats four brand new players, multiple brand new geniune Sandisk cards and multiple host PC’s… The evidence is heavily stacked against what you are saying.


Let’s see… Marvin has 4 sansas and at least 2 cards, I have 2 sansas and 3 cards, and Tapeworm has at least one sansa and one card…that’s a minimum of  7 sansas and 5 cards…so the weight of the evidence is not on your side.

You are not helping.  You should be ashamed of yourself.  As a “Sandisk Professor”, you should at least try to do much better to actually help…

To the jerk who said I am the only one having this problem, check through other threads in this forum about the problems others are having with cards.  They are basically complaining about a very similar thing, though the descriptions vary slightly.  So I am not the only one.  I am certainly not the first.  I have no doubt that I will not be the last.

At this time a rep from Sadisk should chime in and explain how the player is supposed to work, and offer a reasonable explanation as to why four brand new players do not work the same way as other players.  Nothing from anyone who is not a Sandisk employee is acceptable or appropriate.

All right guys, let’s play nice!!!

 

How is everyone this morning?  I am more interested in a device that is having difficulties reading the microSD than whether the device is on or off during the card swap.

 

So, who is right?  The card can indeed be inserted with the device powered up.  In a different platform, a laptop computer, the card is routinely swapped with the computer powered up in use.  A laptop will query the card as soon as it is found on the bus.  The Sansa does exactly the same thing.  I only add one caveat: if the card is being read when disconnected, I can see how the Sansa could freeze while playing a file from the card, necessitating a soft reset.

If the Sansa is off, the card will be read as soon as the device is powered up.  The player will refresh the music database whenever the card is inserted, even if it is the same card.  This is because the Sansa hibernates when off, and does notice the change of card status.

The biggest problem with hot swapping a memory card is simple: file corruption caused by a card being removed before a write cycle is complete.  If there is a card mounted in your Sansa, and you are plugged in to the USB port, this is the one occasion where there is going to potentially be a write cycle.  Just be sure that the writing operation is done. 

Overall, there are less opportunities for problems if the Sansa is powered off when swapping a card.  If you have a device that is having difficulty recognizing a card, by all means, see if it recognizes the card after first powering up the Sansa.  Just don’t try changing the card while the Sansa is reading the music database, wait until that is done.  Mount the card after the display shows that your Sansa is ready, and it should begin refreshing the database again as the card is clicked into position.  On the new Fuze+ , the display will state “loading card”.

The microSD card reader slot is a tiny, intricate little guy.  It’s tricky the first time you install a card.  The first time you install one, gently slide the card into the port, with the logo facing up (connector surface on the bottom). The raised edge is outward, of course.  Gently press inward, and as the card is fully inserted, you will hear a soft click, then another click as the pressure is released.  If mounted correctly, the raised outer edge should be about flush with the outside cover of the Sansa.  To remove, gently press inward, and you’ll hear a click as the card is unlocked for removal.

If you have a Clip+ that will not recognize a card, especially a brand new one that is empty, try checking for the card with the Sansa plugged into the USB port.  In MSC mode, you should see the card listed in Windows Explorer as a separate memory device.  Most often, it will be listed right after the Sansa, but I have seen a computer with plenty of drives listed, an the expansion card is out of sequence.  In MTP mode, it’s easier: you will see Internal Memory and External Memory, and you can then check the card.

If you have a card reader, either a handy USB multi reader, or an adaptor, you can try addressing the card directly using the PC.  SanDisk cards are formatted, right out of the box, with the 2GB or less devices formatted as FAT, and the SD HC cards formatted as FAT32.  If you run into a new card that’s supposed to be HC, and it’s not FAT32, beware- it may be a 1 or 2GB card counterfeit.

SanDisk stands behind the Sansa and the memory devices with a full warranty.  If your Clip+ is having difficulties, please feel free to contact Support at 1-866-SanDisk, and they’ll be glad to help you.  The forums are here too, where we can share information and advice.

Bob  :smileyvery-happy:

@neutron_bob wrote:

All right guys, let’s play nice!!!

 

How is everyone this morning?  I am more interested in a device that is having difficulties reading the microSD than whether the device is on or off during the card swap.

Thank you Mr. Bob, that was written really well.  Between myself, my neice and my nephew we have four brand new Sansa Clip+ players that will not start properly when a genuine Sandisk microSD card is inserted into the player while the player is OFF. All four players work perfectly fine when the cards are inserted while the players are on.

You have provided a clue though - much more than any other documentation I have found from Sandisk…  Sandisk needs to work on that…  Anyways, I have been buying 2GB genuine Sandisk cards to test with.  I do not know if they are microSD HC or not.  I have been using them straight out of the package.  So however Sandisk formats them, that is the format that is on them.  I will check to see what file system they are when I get home.  If they are not already FAT32 I will format a few of them to FAT32 and retest all four of these players.